Weft-replenishing loom.



No. 682,034. Patented Sept. 3, I901.

P. CLEMENT.

WEFT REPL'ENISHING L00".

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P. CLEMENT.

WEFT REPLENISHING LUOM.

(Application filed Aug. 10, 1900.)

Patented Sept. 3, IBM.

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No. 682,034. Patented Sept. 3, IBM.

' P. CLEMENT.

WEFT REPLENISHING LOOM.

(Application filed Aug. 10, 1900. Modem 6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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N0. 682,034. Patented Sept. 3, [90L P. CLEMENT.

WEFT BEPLENISHING LODM.

(Application filed Aug. 10, 1900.) (No Model.) a Sheets-Sheet 5.

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No. 682,034. Patented Sept. 3, l90l. P.' CLEMENT.

WEFT BEPLENISHING LOOM. (Application filed Aug. 10, 1900.)

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 6.

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PATENT PAUL CLEMENT, or WASQUEHAL, FRANCE.

WEFT-REPLENiSHI NG LOOM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent N 0. 682,034, datedSeptember 3, 1901.

Application filed August 10, 1900. Serial No. 26,478. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PAUL CLEMENT, a subject of the King of Belgium,residing at Wasquehal, near Lille, in the French Republic, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in l Veft-Replenishing Looms, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to looms for weaving, and comprises improvedmeans for en abling the empty shuttle to be automatically replaced by afresh one when the weft-thread has run out or become exhausted. Thedevices heretofore introduced for this purpose are generally dependentupon or are used in connection with a weft-thread feeler, which comesinto action when the weft thread breaks or runs out and by means ofsuitable mechanism effects the changing of the shuttle. These devicesproduce defective parts in the fabric, and, moreover, the mechanismactuated by the feelers can never startoperating till after the loss ofa pick and ahalf of the weft, since the feeler can only act after thefirst passage of the empty shuttle. According to my-invention I obviatethese inconveniences by etfecting the substitution or changing of theshuttle after a predetermined l'ength of thread carried by the shuttlehas been used, or nearly so, this being effected by the aid of acard-chain, which is proportionate to the length of the thread upon theshuttle and arranged in such a manner as to effect, by means ofmechanism hereinafter described, the changing of the shuttle between twosuccessive picks without the loss of a single pick in the intervalbetween the withdrawal of the empty shuttle and the To this end thecard-chain is chiefly characterized by a number of cards sufficient toenable it to make one turn or complete displacement during the timeoccupied in using nearly the full predetermined length of theshuttlethread and also by the provision in two successive cards of ahole or aperture, into each of which engages a lever, one of the saidlevers being designed to operate the mechanism for the changing of theshuttle at the moment when the latter, being empty or nearly so, leavesthe shed, while the other lever is designed for operating the mechanismfor immediatelyfurnishing a fresh shuttle to the shuttle-changingmechanism. In this manner a fresh shuttle is taken up immediately afterthe changing operation, so as to be ready to replace the one then in usewhen this latterin its turn runs out. To this end I make use of anapparatus consisting, essentially, in the combination, with a mechanismfor changing the shuttle and comprising a rotary drum, of a feedmechanism for furnishing a fresh shuttle to the said rotary shuttle-drumimmediately after the changing of the shuttle then in use.

In order that my invention may be more clearly understood, I will nowdescribe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is an end elevation of a portion of a weaving-loom providedwith my improvements. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of a portion of thesaid loom, showing the mechanism for effecting the operationshereinbefore indicated. Fig. 3 is afront elevation of the saidmechanism. Fig. 4 is a plan of the same. Fig. 5 is a detail showing thecard-chain, the novel use of which latter constitutes an essential partof my invention. Fig. 6 is a plan, drawn to a larger scale, of aportionof the mechanism for feeding the shuttle drum or carrier of the changingmechanism. Fig. 7 is an elevation of the said feed mechanism, showing indotted lines the manner of automatically extracting the empty shuttlefrom the drum. Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line A B of Fig. 6. Fig.9 is a side elevation showing in detail the construction of the shuttleused in conjunction with my invention. of a shuttle, showing thearrangement for retaining the end of the yarn at the first pick of theshuttle. Fig. 11 is a cross-section of the shuttle. Fig. 12 is across-section of the batten, showing the arrangement employed forcutting the thread still attached to the shuttle when the latter is runout, or nearly so, and requires replacing byafresh shuttle.

As already mentioned, my invention is mainly based upon the use of acard-chain, the number of cards of which and the length of the threadcarried by the shuttle are so proportioned that the card-chain completesone turn within the time required for using up the entire quantity ofthread carried by Fig. 10 is a side elevation of a portion the saidshuttle. This card-chain 1, Figs. 1 and 5, passes around a smallguide-pulley 2, fast on a rotary spindle supported in bearings in abracked fixed to the standard 3 of the frame of the loom. Upon thespindle of the pulley 2 there is mounted a ratchetwheel 4, Figs. 3,4,and5,which can be revolved by means of a pawl 5, attached to a lever 6, thepurpose and operation of which will be hereinafter explained. The pulley2 being revolved in the manner indicated and carrying with it thecard-chain, it will be readily understood that if the number of cards iscorrectly chosenthe cards 7 and 8, Fig. 5, for example-provided withholes 9 and 10, respectively, will be caused to pass beneath pins 11 and12, carried by levers 6 and 13, respectively, at the precise moment whenthe quantity of thread carried by the shuttle is exhausted. When thecard 7 comes opposite the pin 11 of the lever 13, the said pin engagesin the hole 9 of the card, and the motion of the lever 13 resulting fromsuch engagement may be utilized for effecting the changing of theshuttle between two successive picks. This change having been effectedby the aid of the shuttle-drum hereinbefore mentioned, the next card 8comes into position beneath the lever 6, the pin 12 of which in its turnengages with the corresponding hole of the card, and the motion of thislever may also be utilized for actuating the feed mechanism designedtofurnish the drum with a fresh shuttle in exchange for the one used inreplacing the empty shuttle.

Iwillnow describe the mechanism designed to effect the changing of theshuttle, including the before-mentioned drum.

Between the standards 3 and 14 of the loom Figs. 2 and 3, and adjacentto the warpbeam 15 (shown broken away in Fig. 4) is the driving-shaft16, arranged to operate the batten 18 by means of a connecting-rod 17.Upon this shaft 16, between the standards 3 and 14 of the frame, aremounted the loose and fast driving pulleys 19 and 20, and at the side ofthe pulley 20, near the standard 14, the said shaft carries a toothedwheel 21, in gear with a toothed wheel 22, keyed onto an auxiliary shaft23, which at its extremity on the outer side of standard 3 is fittedwith a cam 24, Fig. 1, adapted to act upon a vertical lever and a benthorizontal lever 26, so as to liftthe said levers. The lever 25terminates at its upper end in a fork 27, Figs. 1 and 4, and is providedwith a guide 28, fixed to the frame or standard 3. The fork 27 embracesthe levers 6 and 13 of the cards, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and liftsthe two levers simultaneously, so as to allow of the passage of thecards of the card-chain 1 beneath the pins 11 and 12. The lever 13,which is the only one of the two levers6 and 13with-which we have todeal at this 1110- ment, for the reason that it alone effects thechanging of the shuttle, is pivoted at 29 to the standard 3 of theframe, and it is formed with a vertical arm 30, arranged in the sameplane as a lever 31, Fig. 1, pivoted at 32 to the end of a horizontallever 33, adapted to oscillate upon a stud 34, connected at its rear end35 to a lever 36, terminating at its upper end in a hook 37. This hook37 is arranged between two disks 38, supported upon a rotary shaft 39,mounted at one end in an upright 40, which latter oscillates with thebatten 18, and atits other end 41 in the extremity of the battenadjacent to the standard 14 of the frame of the loom. Upon this shaft 39there is mounted near the batten 18 a drum 42, furnished, forexample,with four grooves or recesses 43, designed to receive theshutties. The batten 18 is provided with a projection 44, Figs. 2, 3,and 7, extending below the said drum and carrying immediately beyond thedrum a plate 45, to which is secured a support 46, sliding upon theshaft 39 and formed with a vertical arm 47. Between this arm 47 and thebatten 18 there is fixed a rod 48, serving as a guide for theshuttledriver. A rod 49, moreover, connects the arm 47 With the upright40, which oscillates with the batten. Upon the shaft 39, between thedisks 38 and the oscillating upright 40, is keyed a stop 50, acted uponby a spring-actuated catch 51, carried by the oscillating upright andguided in brackets 52 and 53, the bracket 52 at the same time serving asa guide for the lever 36. The lever 31, Fig. 1, passes through a fork orloop 54 in the horizontal lever 26, whose free end engages in a guide55, fixed to the standard 3 of the frame of the loom. This lever 31 isformed with a recess 56, adapted to engage the upper edge of the fork 54of the lever 26 whenever the said lever 31 is moved to the right inopposition to the spring 57, attached to the leverarm 33, which is actedupon by a spring 58, Fig. 2. Upon the pin 34, upon which the lever 33oscillates, there is further mounted at the exterior of the lever 33another lever 59, pivoted at its extremity to a vertical rod 60, similarto the rod 36, previously referred to. This rod is also disposed betweenthe disks 38, keyed on the shaft 39, and terminates in a stop-hook 61.Between the disks 38 are fixed stop-pins 62, corresponding in number(four, for example) to that of the grooves or recesses 43 in the drum42. This arrangement operates in the following manner: The workingshuttle contained in the grooves 43 of the drum 42 is in the verticalplane passing through the axis of rotation 39 of the drum 42 and throughthe rod 48, used as a guide to the shuttledriver. The shuttledrivertraveling along the said rod 48 drives the shuttle from the groove 43,in which it has been disposed, and into the opening of the shed, and atits return journey the said shuttle reenters the groove 43. Meanwhilethe successive picks are effected, the batten is oscillated in theordinary manner through the intervention of the crank-rod 17, Fig. 4,and an externally-arranged crank-rod 63,

IIO

Figs. 1 and 4, connected to the driving-shaft 16, on the one hand, and,on the other hand, to the upright 40, which oscillates with the battenand which is secured thereto by the shaft 39 and rods 48 and 49. Theshaft 23, rotated by the gear 21 22, as already stated, causes the cam24 to lift the levers 25 and 26. The lever 25 by means of its fork 27lifts the lever 13, while the lever 6 through the intervention of thepawl 5 imparts rotary motion to the card-chain 1. The lever 13 byresting upon the cards has its vertical arm 30 removed out of contactwith the lever 31, and the notch 56 in this latter is thereforedisengaged from the edge of the fork of the lever 26. The latteroscillates freely through the action of the cam 24. At the moment whenthe empty shuttle renters the upper groove 43 of the drum 42 the card 7,Fig. 5, of the card-chain 1 presents its perforation 9 beneath the pin11 of the lever 13. The said pin then falls into the hole, and inconsequence of the oscillation resulting therefrom of the lever 13 uponits pivot 29 its arm is caused to strike against the upper end of thelever 31, thus forcing the notch 56 into engagement with the edge of thefork 54 of the lever 26. This latter at'that moment is raised by the cam24 at the end of the shaft 23 and takes with it the lever 31, whichthereby acts upon the end of the lever 33 and causes it to swing on thepin 34 and with its rear end 35 to pull'down the rod 36, provided withthe hook 3.7, so as to bring the latter into contact with one of thepins 62, fixed between the disks 38. This imparts a sudden rotary motionto the said disks, and consequently to their shaft 39 and drum 42, sothat the shuttle in the upper groove 43, which has previously served,will be moved out of the plane passing through the axis 39 and guide 48of the driver, and another shuttle provided in the next groove 43 ofthedrum 42 will be brought into the position in which the driver in thenext pick will actuate the same, the rotation of the drum 42 beinglimited, on the one hand, by a spring-stop 51, adapted to act upon thecam 50, and, on the other hand, by the book 61 of the rod engaging oneof the pins 62 of the disks 38 when the said hook 61 is pulled downwardon account of the oscillation of lever 59, caused through the action onthe said lever of a pin 170, fitted on lever 33, this action takingplace at the moment that thelever 33 swings on pin 34. It will bereadily seen that by means of this instantaneously-acting mechanism, incombination with the arrangement of card chain hereinbefore described,the changing of the shuttle can be effected between two successive pickswithout fear of losing one during the time the empty shuttle renters thegroove 43 of the drum 42, and the fresh shuttle brought into line by therotation of the drum is in turn operated by the driver.

I will now describe the mechanism employed for supplying the drum with afresh shuttle immediately after the empty shuttle has been replaced andfor removing this latter from the drum.

In line with the groove of the drum containing, say, the shuttle 142,Fig. 6, for replacing the shuttle 143 last employed, there is arranged abox 64, Figs. 1, 3, 4, 6, and 8, capable of holding a shuttle, and suchbox is fixed, on the one hand, to the oscillating upright 40 and, on theother hand, to the plate 45, which serves to support the bracket 46.Thus box 64, which thus oscillates with the batten, is open at its topand is connected, by means of hinges 65, Figs. 2 and 8, to a box 66,capable of holding a number of superposed shuttles. The box 66 ismaintained in position by two rods 67, formed with slides 68, workingupon a transverse bar 69, fixed between two supports 70, secured to thestandards 3 and 14 of the frame. The rods 67 are attached, by means ofsprings 71, to a stationary cross-piece of any convenient description.Owing to this arrangement, when the box 64 follows the batten andupright 40 in their oscillatory motion the box 66 is slightly displacedupon the transverse bar 69, thus causing the hinges 65, Figs. 2 and 8,to open slightly. The shuttles are retained in the box 66 by the aid oftwo systems of stop-rods 72 73, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, oscillating uponpivots 74 75, carried by supports 76, fixed to the lateral sides of thebox 66. I will hereinafter explain the manner of operating the box 66 atthe desired moment and the disengagement of the shuttle, which is toenter the lower box 66. I will suppose that the box 64 contains ashuttle 142, for example, ready to be moved forward into one of thegrooves of the drum 42,which operation is effected in the followingmanner: As hereinbefore stat-ed, there is arranged at the side of thelever 13, Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5, for operating the mechanism for rotatingthe drum 2. second lever 6 of similar form and which is also raised ateach revolution of the shaft '23 through the intervention of the cam 24and vertical lever 25. This lever 6 is fitted, as aforesaid, with thepin 12, adapted to rest upon the cards of p the card-chain 1, as well aswith a pawl 5, adapted to actuate a ratchet 4 and cause the advance ofthe chain. This lever is further furnished, like the lever 13, with avertical arm 77, Fig. 2. Opposite the lower extremity of this verticalarm 77 there is a lever 78, Fig. 2, similar to the lever 31, and, likeit, passing through the fork 54 of the lever 26. The said lever isconnected by its lower end to a lever 79, Figs. 2, 3, and 4, adaptedtooscillate like the lever 33 upon the pivot 34 and having an armprojecting beyond the said pivot. Upon the prolongation of this arm 79,Figs. 3 and 4, is fixed, by means of hinges 80, Fig. 3, a smalloscillatory link 81, attached at its upper end by means of anarticulated connection 82 to a bent lever 83, which rocks on a pivot 84,fixed to the standard 3 of the frame. The vertical arm of this bentlever 83, Figs. 2 and 3, has its end located beneath a rod 85, connectedby a hinge-joint 86 to a rod 87, fitted at its free end with a stud 88,adjustably engaged in a slotted guide 89, fixed to the standard 3 of theframe. The rod is fitted in a sleeve 90, oscillating at 91, Fig. 3, atthe extremity of a lever 92, Fig. 4, forming the horizontal prolongationof a forked lever 93, Figs. 2 and 3, which latter is pivoted at 94 to anappropriate support and embraces by means of its forked end the sleeve96, Figs. 2, 3, and 4, of a clutch 97 98, fast upon the shaft 23. Thedriven part 98 of this clutch is integral with a gear-wheel 99, Figs. 2and 3, actuating a toothed wheel 100, mounted on a trunnion 101,provided in a bracket 102. Upon the trunnion 101, at the side of thegear-wheel 100, is mounted a beveled pinion 103, driving a similarpinion 104, Figs.'2 and 4, fast upon a spindle 105, arranged at rightangles to the driving-shaft of the loom. This spindle is carried in anadjustable bracket 106 and is fitted at its outer end in front of theloom, Fig. 3, with a toothed pinion 107, Figs. 3and 4, which gears witha toothed wheel 108 upon a shaft 109, provided with a disk 110. Thislatter is connected, by means of a crank and adjustable rod 111 anddouble hinges 112 and 113, to a lever 114, oscillating at upon a support116, having for its center the shaft 117, which forms the fulcrum ofoscillations for the rocking upright 40. The said lever 114 engages in asheath or sleeve 118, Figs. 2, 3, and 7, joined, by means of a doublehinge 119, to a flier 120, Figs. 6, 7, and 8, adapted to slide upon tworods 121 122, fixed at one end to the oscillating upright 40 and at theother end to the plate 45, integral with the prolongation 44 of thebatten 18. The said flier is constructed, as shown in Fig. 8, in theform of a fork, and is thus enabled while sliding upon the rods 121 122to pass beneath the sleeve 46 of the support 47 of the assemblingrod 49.The flier carries at its side adjacent to the box 64 a tappet 123, ofwood, sliding in a lateral groove provided in the box 64, and at itsother side it carries a support 124, fitted with a hook 125, which isarranged to swing on an axis 126 and is retained in an approximatelyhorizontal position by means of a small counterweight 127, for example.The aforesaid rod 85, Figs. 2 and 3, which engages in the oscillatingsleeve 90, carried by the extremity of the horizontal arm 92 of the fork93 of the clutch 97 98, is capable of displacement in the oscillatingsleeve 90 by compressing a spring 128 by means of screw-nuts 129 uponthe rod 85. Between these screwnuts 129 there is secured a rod 130,Figs. 2 and 3,'which is connected to the end of a lever 131, pivoted at132 and provided with a nose 133, so arranged as to be in the path of aroller 134, carried upon the face of the disk 110. This disk 110 isformed with a peripheral ratchet-tooth 135, with which engages a hook136, as shown in Fig. 3, adapted to swing on a pivot-pin 137, carried ina slotted guide 138, fixed to the standard 14 of the frame of the loom.The hook 136 is attached by a cord 139 to the vertical end of thebentlever 83. The operation of this feed mechanism is as follows:Directly the card 7, Fig. 5, of the card-chain has started the mechanismhereinbefore described for rotating the drum 42 the pawl 5 causes theratchet-wheel 4 to revolve and so move the chain to place the next card8 beneath the lovers 6 and 13. The pin 12 of the lever 6 falls into thehole 10, Fig. 5, of this card 8, and owing to the descending motion thevertical arm 77 of this lever 6 is caused to strike the upper end of thelever 78. This lever 78 by means of a notch similar to the notch 56 ofthe lever 31 engages the edge of the fork 54 of the lever 26, and thelatter being raised by the cam 24 now lifts the lever 78, which actsupon the rocking lever 79, Fig. 2, and causes the arm thereof beyond theaxis 34 to descend,thereby lowering the link 8l,which through theintervention of the articulated joint 82 pulls down the horizontal armof the lever 83. The vertical arm of this lever 83 rises with a jerk,pulls the cord 139, and disengages the hook 136 from the tooth inthe periphery of the disk 110. Simultaneously the vertical arm of thislever 83 strikes the rod 85, causing it to oscillate at 91 with itssleeve 90. A forked extremity of this rod 85 while oscillating at 86sets upon the lever 87 in such a manner that the levers 85 87 arebrought into alinement with the center of rotation 91 of the sleeve 90and stud 88 of the rod 87. This displacement of the levers 85 and 87,Fig. 3, has the efiect of increasing the distance between the points 91and 88, so that the sleeve 90 is forced toward the left, and in thismovement it takes with it the forked lever 93, and consequently also thesleeve 96 of the part 97 of the clutch, which latter engages with thepart 98. The part 98 is thus rotated by the part 97, which latterrevolves with the shaft 23, receiving its motion, as already stated,from the driving-shaft 16 by means of the gear-wheels 21 and 22. Thedriven part 98 of the clutch being thus set revolving actuates by meansof the gear-wheels 99 and 100 and beveled pinion 103 the beveled wheel104 and the small transverse shaft 105, which latter by means of toothedwheels 107 and 108 rotates the disk 110. This latter can now turn in thedirection indicated by the arrow 141, Fig. 3, owing to the disengagementof the hook 136 from the tooth 135 through the pull of the cord 129 uponthe said hook during the upstroke of the vertical arm of the elbow-lever83. The revolution of the disk 110 causes the crank-rod 111 to oscillatethe lever 114 upon its pivot 115. Starting from the position shown inFig. 3 the lever 114 in half-revolution of the disk 110 moves the flier120 into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7. During thisdisplacement the flier 120 slides upon the rods 121 122, the sheath orhousing 118 compensating for the IIO difference in the radius bypermitting the lever 114 to slide therein. The flier 120, travelingalong the rods 121 122, Figs. 6 and 7, pushes the shuttle 142, forexample, which is in the box 64 and causes it to enter the groove 43 inthe drum 42, which is then adjacent to the open end of the said box.Simultaneously the hook 125 engages the point of the empty shuttle 144,for example, which is located in the groove 43 opposite to that intowhich the fresh shuttle 142 is introduced. The hook 125 slides along thepoint of this shuttle 144 and engages, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 7,in a notch 145, Fig. 9, provided in the side of thesaid shuttle. In thismanner it seizes the shuttle and draws it along in its return motionduring the second half-revolution of the disk 110, which drives theflier back to its initial position. (Shown in Fig. 7.) The shuttle 144on leaving the drum 42 encounters a plate 146, Figs. 2, 3, and 7, passesalong the same, and falls into a box designed to receive it, the lever114 having returned the flier 120 to its original position,and

thereby furnished a fresh shuttle to the drum 42 and removed therefromthe empty shuttle, while the disk 110, controlled by the clutch 97 and98, performs one complete revolution. At that moment the roller 134,carried on the face of the disk 110, engages with the nose 133 of thelever 131, Figs. 2 and 3, causing this lever to oscillate on its pivot132, producing a pull upon the rod 130, secured between the screwnuts129 of the lever 85. This movement returns the lever 85, together withthe forked lever 93 and the sleeve 96 of the clutch, toward the right,thereby releasing the frictiondrum 97 of the driven part 98 and stoppingthe disk 110. At the same time the oscillating lever 79, previouslydepressed by the pull on the lever 78, is returned to its initialposition by the action of the return-spring 148, Fig. 3, and the bentlever 83 slackens the cord 139, which allows the hook 136 to fallagainst the periphery of the disk 110. This latter having completed itsrevolution and the roller having passed the nose 133 of the lever 131,the tooth 136 reengages in the extremity of the hook 136, so arrestingin a definite manner the movement of the disk, and thereby keeping theflier 120 stationary until the shuttle 143, Fig. 6, for example, isempty and the drum rotates, as before described, to substitute theshuttle 142 for the shuttle 143, whereupon it is required to restart thefeed mechanism in order to deliver a fresh shuttle to the drum and toremove the empty one therefrom.

The feeding of the shuttle into the box 64 takes place in the followingmanner: As hereinbefore described, the reserve shuttles are located inthe box 66, wherein they are'retained by a double system ofretaining-catches 72 73. These catches are fast on their spindles 74 75,which latter are fitted at their ends.

with rods 148 and 149, respectively. The ends of these rods are attachedby means of cords 150 and 151 to the oscillating levers 38 and 79, andthe said rods are also subjected to the action of the spring-rods 152and 153 for the purpose of retaining them in their normal position, suchspring-rods being fixed to a cross-bar 154, carried by horizontal armsof the supports 70. When the fore end of the lever 33 is depressed foractuating the drum through the intervention of the rod 36, the saidlever 33 pulls the cord 150, so as to depress the bar 148 and remove theretainingcatch 73 from the interior of the box 66 in such a manner as tofree the shuttle resting on such catch and so allow it to fall into thebox 64, while the shuttle above it is retained by the horizontal branchof the catch 72. When the lever 79 is depressed in its turn, ashereinbefore explained, so as to effect the coupling of the clutch, andconsequently the displacement of the flier 120, which pushes the shuttleinto the drum, the pull of such lever 79 on the cord 151 effects theoscillation of the bar 149, which thereupon removes the catch 72 fromthe box 66, thus permitting a fresh shuttle to fall upon theretaining-catch 73, where it is retained till another depression of thelever 33, controlling the drum, takes place and allows the shuttle tofall into the box 64. i

In the preceding description it has been supposed that the shuttlecontained in the topmost groove 43 of the drum is shot into the openingof the shed by the driver sliding over the guide-rod 48 and operated ina well-known manner. It is, however, necessary when throwing a freshshuttle for the first time to enable the end of the thread thereof to beantomatically retained, and to this end the shuttle is provided, asshown in Figs. 10 and 11, with a small ring 157, disposed in the grooveof the shuttle, where it is retained by a spring 158. The end 155 of thethread of the shuttle after having been passed through the eye 156 isattached to the said ring 157. As shown in Fig. 3, on the batten 18 isfixed a hook 159, disposed with its point in front of the ring 157 onthe shuttle, so that when the shuttle is thrown for the first time thering 157 is retained by the hook 159 after having disengaged it from thespring 158, the end of the thread being also thereby retained. In orderto prevent the shuttle during its removal from the drum 42 fromremaining attached to the weft, owing to the small amount of thread lefttherein, I attach to the batten 18 a pair of scissors 161, as shown inFig. 12, one blade of such scissors being rigidly fixed in a verticalposition to a bracket 160, secured to the batten, and the other bladebeing 10- cated in a groove 162 in the batten. This latter blade isretained in the groove by the action of a spring 163, and it isconnected by a cord 164 or any other appropriate means to the lever 33,which actuates the drum 42. In this manner each time the drum isactuated IIO the horizontally-disposed blade of the scissors 161 issuddenly operated, so as to cut the thread which is still attached tothe shuttle.

It will be understood that with the arrangement hereinbefore describedloss of pick cannot occur, owing to the novel and special relationbetween the length of the card-chain and the length of the thread on theshuttle, while, moreover, the drum will always be recharged long beforeit is rotated. This is a very important point considering the greatspeed at which certain looms are driven. In the present case where theclutch and by it the feed mechanism is set in motion immediately aftereach rotary motion of the drum it will be obvious that this feedoperation may be carried out, relatively speaking, in a gradual manner,since it may be extended over the whole of the time required for theconsumption of all the thread carried in the shuttle. The result will bea greater safety in working than has heretofore been attained with anyother arrangement for this purpose, all such arrangements having theinconvenience, as already stated, of being operated by the control ofthe feelers of the weft, while, moreover, having to change and feed orreplace the shuttle within the exceedingly short space of time comprisedbetween two successive picks.

What I claim is- 1. In a device for enabling the empty shuttle of a loomto be automatically replaced by a fresh one when the weft-thread has runout, in combination with a mechanism for changing the shuttle, a shuttlehaving a predetermined length of thread, a card-chain effecting acomplete displacement during the time occupied in using nearly the saidpredetermined length of the shuttle-thread, means for actuating thechanging mechanism by aid of the said card-chain, means for actuating aclutch by aid of the said card-chain immediately after the changingmechanism has been operated, a clutch, a disk momentarily actuated bysaid clutch, a flier, operative connections between the said disk andflier by which the flier is caused to slide on suitable guide-rods andto feed the changing mechanism with a new shuttle, and means forreleasing the clutch and stopping the movement of the fliersubstantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a device for enabling the empty shuttle of a loom to beautomatically replaced by a fresh one when the weft-thread has run outin combination with a mechanism for changing the shuttle, a feedmechanism comprising a card-chain, a hole in one of the cards of thesaid card-chain, a lever 6 fitted with a pin 12 adapted to rest upon thecards of the card-chain a lever 78 adapted to be actuated by the saidlever 6 at the moment when the pin 12 falls into the hole of thecard-chain, an oscillating lever 79 connected to the said lever 78,means for oscillating the said lever 79 a bent lever 83 actuated by thesaid oscilthe said disk and means for releasing the clutch and stoppingthe disk and the flier after the flier has been operated, substantiallyas described and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a device for enabling the empty shuttle of a loom to beautomatically replaced by a fresh one when the weft-thread has run out,in combination a card chain, a changing mechanism actuated by the saidcard-chain a feed mechanism also actuated by the said card-chain andcomprising a clutch, means for actuating the said clutch, a diskoperated by the said clutch and actuating a flier adapted to furnish afresh shuttle to the changing mechanism, a roller 134 on one face of thedisk 110 an oscillating lever 131 fitted with a nose adapted to be actedupon by the roller 134 of the disk, a connection between the said leverand the means for actuating the clutch so as to release the same andstop the disk 110 when the roller of the said disk engages with the noseof the oscillating lever 131 and means for stopping effectively themovement of the disk substantially as described and for the purpose setforth.

4. In a device for enabling the empty shuttle of a loom to beautomatically replaced by a fresh one when the weft-thread has run out,a changing mechanism, a feed mechanism, a card-chain actuatingsuccessively the changing and the feeding mechanisms, a box 64oscillating with the batten of the loom and capable of holding a shuttleand from which the fresh shuttle is pushed into the changing mechanismby aid of the feed mechanism, a box 66 capable of holding a number ofsuperposed shuttles, hinges connecting the said box 66 to the box 64:and means to deliver a shuttle from the box 66 to the box 64 after afresh shuttle has been furnished to the changing mechanism,substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a device for enabling the empty shuttle of a loom to beautomatically replaced by a fresh one when the weft-thread has run out,a changing mechanism, a feed mechanism, a card-chain actuatingsuccessively the changing and feeding mechanisms, a box 6et-oscillatingwith the batten of the loom and capable of holding a shuttle and fromwhich the fresh shuttle is pushed into the changing mechanism by aid ofthe feed mechanism a hinged box 66 capable of holding a number ofsuperposed shuttles, hinges connecting the said box 66 to the box 64 adouble system of retaining-catches 72 73 and means for actuatingsuccessively the said catches in correspondence with the action of thechanging and feeding mechanisms, substantially as described and for thepurpose set forth.

G. In a device for enabling the empty shutempty shuttle from thechanging mechanism tle of a loom to be automatically replaced by rodsupon which the said flier slides and a fresh one when the weft-threadhas run out, means for actuating the said flier by aid of the incombination, a changing mechanism, a feed mechanism, substantially asdescribed. 5 feed mechanism, substantially as described, In witnesswhereof I have hereunto set my :5

a box capable of holdinga shuttle, a flier carhand in presence of twoWitnesses.

rying at its side adjacent to the box, a tappet PAUL CLEMENT. sliding ina lateral groove of the said box, and Witnesses: at its other side asupport 124 fitted with a ALFRED C. HARRISON,

1o swinging hook 125 adapted to remove the V. DUNNE.

